Lex Luthor
by Labraid
Summary: Not a crossover. Hogwart's new headmaster needs help, but Harry doesn't care anymore. One shot.


"Congratulations, Professor." The boy said. "You have managed to catch the great and ever elusive Harry Potter. I think you deserve a medal." There was heavy and definite sarcasm in the youth's voice. He looked completely unconcerned. He simply brought the cigarette back to his mouth, and took another deep drag. Then tried to blow some smoke rings but started to laugh and ruined the effect. "Although I must admit it took you much longer than I thought it would. Three years?"

"Yes, well, Mr. Potter, it seems that you are a veritable chameleon."

"I guess I am." he smiled over the desk at the woman who used to be his head of house. "And please, Professor, that's not my name anymore."

"I'm sorry, Mr. _Luthor_. It's just that I've known you as Harry Potter since you were a babe."

"Well, then you may call me Lex, all my friends do." He sneered at her, and rubbed his temple for a second.

"Of all the monikers you could have chosen, why would you pick that one?"

"I think, if you know my history, and know me well enough, that my decision speaks for itself, Professor." The boy leaned back and put his boot clad feet up on the desk in front of him, took another drag on his cigarette, before turning to the still confused woman. "It is a clear message to anyone who used to know me that I have no intention of being your world's Superman. You managed to muddle up the message though. Tell me, would it have been easier for you if I had renamed myself Tom Riddle?" She looked affronted at the slight. "Why can't you people just take it for granted that I do not want to save you? You have given me nothing yet you ask for so much."

"The muggle world has given you very little too."

"Yes, but they are asking for the same."

"When did you become so bitter? You used to be a Gryffindor, through and through."

"I'll let you in on a little secret, Minerva." He said and sat forward a bit staring straight into her eyes with his kohl outlined pair. "I am a very good actor."

"You were never so bitter." She said adamantly.

"Utter shit, and you know it. I have yet to meet an abused orphan, who was had the weight of a world on his shoulders that was not."

"We've all failed you miserably. We know." A new voice said, and the man that matched it walked into the room and sat in the chair beside the boy.

"Remus, you look well." The boy said to the new comer. "Minerva, what a dirty trick. Are you going to use him to guilt trip me into helping you? It won't work, you know. I'm not the malleable little boy that I used to be."

"No, I asked to be here, I wanted to know that you were well." The boy merely hummed and raised an eyebrow. "Frankly, I just wanted to know that you were alive, and hopefully happy. If you want to leave again, I'll fully support your decision to do so."

"Thanks, old man." He said caught of guard a bit by the man's obvious dissent. Before he could think of anything else to say in reply to the odd, sudden declaration of loyalty the Professor thought prudent to start again.

"Remus is one of a kind though, Mr. Luthor." She said it with a slight pause between the Mister and the Luthor, which gave her time to crinkle her nose in distaste. "The rest of our community needs you to fight for us. We are losing all hope."

"Sorry, bout that, but no. I do not want to fight your war for you. I feel no responsibility to the wizarding community at large, and have no desire to help them in any way."

"What of the Weasleys? Surely you want to protect them."

"I do. I am sure that they will never be harmed."

"You have no way of knowing that they are safe from anything."

"Oh, but I do. You see, I've struck up a deal with old Tom."

"You what?" They both asked him.

"I went over to his little camp, waving a white flag. They let me in I talked to the head honcho for a couple minutes, and we came to an agreement."

"What, Harry?"

"Who?"

"What was your deal, Mr. _Luthor_?"

"I told him that if he ever so much as breathed the wrong way in the general vicinity of a Weasley he would be facing my full wrath. Which, he at the time was quite wary of since I had given him a little example. In exchange I promised to stay out of his way. So you see, the Weasleys are all the more reason for me to stay out of the war. As soon as I re-enter they will immediately be picked off one by one." The woman just looked at him, mouth agape, trying to come up with something to say to that.

"How... How could you? He killed your parents. He killed Sirius. He's... He's the villain."

The boy shrugged. "I'm a lunatic, remember? An attention seeking lunatic. Untrustworthy, unworthy, a fake and a liar." He took one last drag from the cigarette and flicked it away. "Now, if that's all I'll be leaving, and this time, you will not try to find me. You will face this on your own, or maybe find some other kid to push all of the troubles onto. Maybe Neville will be feeling up to it." With that he stood and turned to leave the room.

"Harry, I mean _Lex_, at least allow Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley to return, if we can't have you, at least let us have the brightest witch of your age." At that the boy spun around.

"They are allowed to do as they please. I have no control over them, whatsoever, and I am insulted that you think I would drag them along with me into muggle poverty against their own will."

"Tell them, at least, that we need them."

"Do you honestly think they do not know? No, they are perfectly aware of how dire it is here and they told me to tell you if you asked for them to go screw yourself. Now good day." Before he turned again to leave, he turned to the man. "Good bye Remus, farewell."

"I told you." The man said to the woman, who was now leaning forward against her desk with her head bowed. A single tear hit the desk.


End file.
